Hydrator



Nov. 8, 1932.

- "inquTuiiiuu .11....

GREEN HYDRATOR iled July 14, 1951 2 Shets-Sheet 1 R. J. GREEN Nov. 8, 1932.

HYDRATOR Filed July 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUBBEL J. GM, mm), omen EYDRATOB Application. fled July 14, 1881. Serial No. 550,799.

This invention relates broadly to electric refrigerators and has for an object to provide a defrosting tra defrosting tank and hydrator for vegetabl g e unit adapted to properly care for the vegetables and catch all of the defrost water and drain it into a separate compartment from which the defrost water may be readily drained without removin the unit from the refrigerator by means 0% a small faucet in the defrosting tank.

A further object is to provide a device of this type which will be neat and attractive in appearance and may be readily ap underneath the unit of an electric refrigerator without alterations to the refrigerator, and which, when applied, will be held againstworking away from applied position.

A still further object is to provide a device of this type includin a casing which is open at the front and t 0 top and is divided into two compartments, one for the reception of the vegetable tray and the other for the reception of the defrosting water tank, the top of the casing being closed by a removable tray which slopes from the sides and ends toward a diagonal inclined trough whereby'the' defrost water is led to onecorher of the tray for draining into the water A still further ob'ect is to provide a device of this class in w ich the tray is provided with an outlet pipe at the low point thereof, which pipe is removabl received in an opening in the top of the (ibfrosting water tank and holds said tank against movement longitudinally in its compartment of the casing.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations. of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications. may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without de-f parting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 "s a perspective view'of the device applied. toan electric refrigerator,

es, combined ina sin-- .the line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

plied Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the'line 3 -3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 isa longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a crow sectiofial view taken on an Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation -showmg the spout and foot engaged on opposite sides of one of the shelf bars. to

Referring now to the drawings in-which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, 10 designates an electric refrigerator of the usual and wellknown type in which there is employeda unit 11 which, in the present embodiment, is disposed 1n the upper right-hand corner of the refrigerator above the bars 12 of the top shelf 13. The refrigerator is, as usua, equipped with shelves 14 and 15 below the 7 'unit. It will be understood that the electric refrigerator construction may be of any preferred type, the type illustrated being merely shown by way of example.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a 7 casing 16 which is formed of metal and is open at the front and at the top. The casin is provided with a longitudinal partition 1% which divides the casing into two longitudinal compartments of substantally. rectangu- 83 Iar cross section.- The casing is of sufiicient height to be received on the shelf 14 underneath the unit 11, and is of sufficient length and width to present an air space around it on both the sides and back when inoperative po- 85 sition. For preventing displacement of the casing, the same is provided on the bottom, near the front, with a longitudinal foot 18, best shown in Fig. 3, which engages one bar 14 of said shelf, which latter is ordinarily formed of skeleton structure. 'The foot preferably is formed by bending down one edge portion of a longitudinal slot 19 formed in the bottom of the casing for a purpose spaced relationship and may be formed inteor attached thereto by any suitable means.

all engage the bars of the shelf 14 and coact preventlng the casing slipping outwardly or sidewise from postion underneath the unit The top of the casing 16 is closed by a tray 21-which slopes from the flange 22 thereof in all directions toward a diagonal trough 23 which extends from corner to corner of the tray bottom and has its low point preferably disposed at the rear right corner where the trough discharges into a drain pipe 24. The flange 22 of the tray is preferably substantially U-shaped in cross 'section, as best shown in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, so that the flange may be hooked over the top peripheral edge of the side walls and rear wall of the casing to removably secure the tray in place.

Disposed preferably in the right long1- tudinal compartment of the casing is a defrosting water tank 25 which, preferably, is rectangular in longitudinal and cross sections and preferably is formed of the same sheet metal as the tray and the casing. The tank is closed at the top, and, preferably, the side walls, end walls, top and bottom walls of the tank are formed integral and continuous,

I rear corner,

in having a removable The tank is provided the right as there is no necessity cover for this tank. in the top 26 with an opening 27 at as best shown in receive the drain pipe 24 of the tray. The drain pipe projects downwardly into the tank and serves as a stop to prevent the tank shifting forwardly in its compartment in the easing when the tray is applied. Of course, upon removal of the tray, the drain ipe is carried with it and permits of the tan being withdrawn forwardly from its compartment in the casing whenever desired.

The front wall 28 of the tank is provided at one bottom corner with a faucet 29 which preferably is pro'vlded with a spring-pressed push valve 30 of the usual type, which it is not deemed necessary to illustrate as the faucet may be of any usual construction. The,

spout 31 of the faucet projects downwardly through the above-mentioned slot 19 in the bottom of the casing, which slot thus permits of the spout being set back from the front edge of the casing. The tank, it will be wall 17 of the casing,

noted, is shorter in length than the length i of the casing, so that the faucet itself is completely housed by the partition or division as well as by the side walls, slotted bottom wall, and the tray, as will be best seen by referring to Figs. 2

and 3.

The spout is of sufiicient length to promote perfect drainage of the water. Furthermore, the spout engages one side of the shelf bar 14 of the shelf 14, and coacts with the lug 18, which engages the other side of said shelf Fig. 3, to

to the drain pipe 24 t ply necessary to place a pan or bar 14' of the shelf in holding the casing 16 in a rigid position.

A vegetable tray 32 is receivable in the left compartment of the casing and is of suflicient length to extend throughout the length of said compartment and present the lip 33 of its rim flan e 34: within convenient reach to permit of t e trayx being easily inserted and withdrawn. T e vegetable tray is preferably formed of the same type sheet metal as the casing, tray and tank. Preferably, the entire device is decorated to harmomze with the finish of the refrigerator, which usually is, of course, enamel or porcelain.

- The above-described device may be substituted for the usual pan to be found underneath the unit in refrigerators already manufactured, or'may be fabricated at the time of manufacture of the refrigerator. While the use of the ordinary small pan is common, however, the present invention provides not only a tray and'tank for defrosting water, but also performs the additional function of a hydrator or permanent place to keep ve etables and maintain them fresh and in edi 1e condition.

Should the electricity fail or be shut off at anytime, as is well known, the defrosting process starts in and, durin the melting o the ice from the unit, the defrosting water will be collected in the tray 21 and drained rearwardly therealon through the trough 23 rough which it passes into the defrosting water tank 25. I To remove the'defrosting water from the tank, it is simthe faucet and open the faucet to allow the water to drain out of the tank.

From the above description, it is thought that the construction and operation of my invention will be fully understood without fur ther explanation. p

' Having thus described the invention, I claim: V

1. In an electric refrigerator, a casing disposed beneath the unit of the refrigerator, a vegetable tray in said casing, a defrosting water tank in said casing, there being a slot in the bottom of said casing, said tan being of less length than the casing, a drain faucet carried by said tank and re 'stering with said slot, a tray forming a c osure for the top of the casing, and adrain pipe carried b ahchoring th tank againstv displacement from the casing.

2. An accessory for electric refrigerators comprising a casing having longitudinal kettle under the tray pro ecting into said tank and a margmal U-shaped flange removably engagingthe top .peripheral edge of the casing, the bottom wall of the tank being sloped in all directions from said flange to a diagonal line forming open at the front and at ing a trough, and a drain pipe at the low end of the trough removably received in an opening formed in said tank and anchoring said tank against dislodgment forwardly from the casing.

3. In an electric refrigerator, a .casing adapted to be supported upon one of the shelves of the refrigerator below the unit of the refrigerator, downwardly projecting spaced feet on the bottom of the casing engaging portions of said shelf and preventing dislodgement of said. casing, said casing be:

the top, a longitudinal partition in said casing, a defrostmg water tray removablysecured to the top of the casing and forming a closure for the casing, ,a vegetable tray in one of said compartments removable through the open front of the casing, a defrosting water tank in the other of saidcompartments removable through the open front of the casing, and a drain pipe carried by said defrosting-water tray projecting into said tank and anchoring said tank against removal from the casing.

4. In a hydrator for electric refrigerators, a sheet metal defrosting water tray having a rim flange of substantiall U-shape, the bottom of the tray sloping rom the flange toward a diagonal depression which forms a trough for conducting defrosting water toward one rear corner ofthetray, adrain pipe at the low point of saidtrough projectmg below, the bottom of the tray, a casing having an open top closed by said tray, a defrosting" water tank in said casing having an opening receiving said drain pipe, and a vegetable tray in said casing having a rim flange disposed below said flange of the defrostin water tray adapted to be reached throu the open front of the casing for with rawing and replacing the vegetable tra 5A hydrator for. electric refrigerators comprisin a casing open at the front and at the top an provided with a longitudinal partion dividing the easing into compartments, a

defrosting water tank inone of said compartments of the casing removable through the open front thereof, a vegetable 'trayin the other of said compartments of the casing removable through the open front thereof, a defrosting water tray forming a closure for the casing above the tank and'the vegetable tray, the bottom ofsaid defrosting water't'ray sloping in all directions toward a diagonal of the tray to providea trough for conducting defrosting water rearwardly toward one -corner of the tray, a drain pipe disposed at the lowpoint of said trough and removably received in 'an opening formed in said tank, there being a slot in the bottom of said casing in-advance .of the front wall of said tank,

In testimon whereof I aflix m signature.

RU SELL J. GREE [n.si] 

